水力发电是利用水的流动,尤其是利用从高处不断倾泻下来的水力,推动水轮机所发出的电力。早期的水轮是应用流动的河水,但河水一枯竭就没有水力,人们就把水轮附装在停留的驳船上,水稍浅时仍可使用,但局限很大。人们为了保持河水盈满,获得持续不断的水力,逐步发展了近代水坝。十九世纪涡轮机发明后,1882年美国在威斯康星州首次使用水力发电机发出了电力,使水电开始成为电力和机械力的来源之一。以后,乔治·威斯汀豪斯第一次把水力发电机应 Hydropower is the use of water flow, especially the use of continuous pouring from the top of the hydraulic power to promote the power generated by the turbine. In the early days, the waterwheel was applied by flowing water. However, once the water was depleted, there was no hydraulic power. People attached the waterwheel to the barge where it stayed, and the water could still be used when the water was light, but it was very limited. In order to keep the river full of water and obtain continuous hydraulic power, people gradually developed modern dams. After the invention of the nineteenth century turbomachinery, in 1882, the United States first used hydroelectric power generators in Wisconsin to send out electricity, making it one of the sources of electricity and mechanical power. Later, George Westinghouse will be the first hydroelectric generator should